Facebook in Vietnam: Can it encourage classroom community, language learning, and academic success?

Christina Massey English Language FellowFacebook: EL Fellow Christina

Hoang Thi Nhat TamLecturer, Faculty of Eng. Linguistics and Literature

University of Social Sciences and Humanities - HCMC

Facebook in Vietnam:

Can It Encourage Classroom Community,

Language Learning, and Academic Success?

Presentation Overview

1. Reflection and Sharing

2. Real-Life Example: Vietnamese University Context

3. Conclusions

Reflection and Sharing

1. Past Experiences

2. Impressions of Facebook

Why Facebook?

20 milliondaily users in Vietnam

Vietnamese Example

3 Facebook Groups for aWriting class

1.Language Study 3A – Friday2.Assignment – Language Study 3A3.Writing project – Language Study 3ANote: albums

3 Facebook Groups for aWriting class

1.Language Study 3A – Friday2.Assignment – Language Study 3A3.Writing project – Language Study 3ANote: albums

1 Language Study 3A – FridayFBGROUPWhat do we do there?

ANNOUNCEMENT

REMINDER

NEGOTIATION

2 Assignment – Language Study 3AWhat do we do there?

1.1 TWO compulsory weekly writing assignments

-Writing assignment in the textbook

-Writing reflection on their learning process & identity.

Peer- editing

1.2 optional challenges

- Answering the critical thinking questions after a reading text.

3 Writing project – Language Study 3AWhat do we do here?

Display learning products at the end of the course

Conclusions

Can Facebook Encourage Classroom Community, Language Learning, & Academic Success?

Encourage Classroom Community

Students became “noticeably more interactive not only online but also in face-to-face activities in the classroom.” [study at a Japanese university]

The teacher increased the frequency of communicating with students and found that being FB friends built trust and rapport. [Tam’s experience at a Vietnamese university]

Students initiated online communication, without teacher direction. For example, posting photos from class and creating class polls. [Christina’s experience at a Vietnamese university]

Encourage Language Learning

“...their interactions on Facebook outside the discussion activity were increasingly appearing in English.” [study at a Japanese university]

One student said “I think it’s useful and I can improve my English too. It can also help me to speak or write with good vocabulary and grammar. I can find the words that I want to use in communication.” [study at a Malaysian university]

A place for intensive language practice and production. For example, class discussions build fluency while compulsory assignments focus on accuracy.[Tam’s experience at a Vietnamese university]

Encourage Academic Success

The teacher can understand students’ needs, problems, strengths, weaknesses, and can adjust teaching and learning appropriately and in a timely manner. [Tam’s experience at a Vietnamese university]

Promotes 21st Century Skills such as learner autonomy, dealing positively with praise/criticism, and using digital technologies to access and create information. [our experiences]

Exposure to peers’ language products provides insights to what succeeds/fails and encourages critical self-reflection. [Tam’s experience at a Vietnamese university]

Questions? Comments?

SourcesOmar, H., Embi, M., & Yunus, M. (2012). ESL Learners’ Interaction in an Online Discussion via Facebook. Asian Social Science

ASS, 8(11), 67-74.

Promnitz-Hayashi, L. (2011). A learning success story using Facebook. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 2(4), 309-316.

http://www.p21.org/about-us/p21-framework